Add Dining Plan Later? Disney told me 'no'

[aviv]

Hi,

I'm planning a trip to Walt Disney World and am finding a wealth of information on these boards! I do have one question I'm hoping some of the Disney regulars can help me with:

I've found a lot of information on various forum posts/elsewhere on the internet that says you can add the Disney Dining Plan to your reservation later, as long as you're staying at a Disney Resort/have purchased park tickets as part of your package and you call to add it to your reservation at least three days before you arrive.

I was planning on doing this, as my group isn't sure we want the plan yet, nor if we might be able to score the free dining plan promotion if we wait for that to be announced.

But when I double-checked with Disney (clearly stating that I was booking a Magic Your Way package, complete with flight, hotel, and park tickets) I got this answer via email:

"The Dining Plan must be included in the reservation package as it is an exclusive component of Disney’s Magic Your Way Vacation Packages. When you book your package, you must add the dining plan then. It cannot be added on later. We apologize for any inconvenience."

This seems to contradict what a lot of other people were saying, so my question is: is this a change in policy for 2014 on the dining plan, or has it always been this way but, in reality, Disney does let you add it on to an existing package if you call and ask?

If anyone could weigh in on this, I'd appreciate it!

 

[sunflare]

It may have something to do with the flight. In theory, when you book as free dining, they cancel your old reservation and rebook you with the new one. They wouldn't be able to do that with the flight attached.

 

[taylor3297]

If you are paying for the dining plan, you should be able to add it. I would call and talk to someone about it.

 

[VikingInMouseEars]

As a side note, you might want to rethink booking the flight as part of your package. In 8 years I have only once seen the flight prices through Disney even close to what you could book them yourself. Not sure where you are flying from but you will almost certainly save a significant amount of money booking your flights yourself. I am talking possibly into the hundreds of dollars per person.

 

[aviv]

Thanks for the advice, everyone! Yeah, I'll give Disney a call direct if we end up wanting to book the Dining Plan, and am already looking into separate flight plans, rather than booking it as part of the package. Thanks!

 

[mickeynut1]

It may have something to do with the flight. In theory, when you book as free dining, they cancel your old reservation and rebook you with the new one. They wouldn't be able to do that with the flight attached.

I was thinking the same thing about the flights, but we always book our flights separate so I don't know for sure. However, if you already have a package booked and want to add dining (or take advantage of free dining), your existing reservation can be modified without cancelling and rebooking. The only time one reservation has to be cancelled and another booked is if you go from one reservation type to the other. Since RO and packages are separate reservation systems, money paid toward one cannot be applied to the other, thus the need for cancelling/rebooking. If you are keeping the same reservation type and just making a modification, no rebooking is needed.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Who did you contact exactly? What email address? I'm just wondering if maybe it was something like the mom's panel.

 

[TDC Nala]

Are you from Great Britain? Or doing any other kind of international travel to get to WDW?

Otherwise you most certainly can add the dining plan later, so long as you add it to your package no later than 3 days before arrival.

 

[biminibigblue]

I ran into something kinda like that earlier this week. I booked my pkg for next month back in Oct on S/P/D with regular DDP. Our final $ was due right after xmas so I called and changed to the QSDP strictly to lower the amount due. Before making the change, the CM said, no problem, we'll re-upgrade the dining package when you're ready, as long as it's more than 72 hrs. prior to your arrival, plus there will be an additional 15 bucks service charge.
So I called Monday because we had the funds to pay the difference. At final payment time our savings by making the change was approx. $360, so I was expecting to pay about $375. I was told we could not make any changes period to our pkg as it stood, because the promo we booked under is no longer valid. In order to make a change, we'd have to rebook under a current promo and pay $900 more. When I balked at the cost I was transferred to "resort services" who confirmed everything the CM said. We are just keeping our $375 for 2 TS meals OOP. I had to cancel 4 ADR's. I was disappointed at first but am looking at it now as we can be more flexible with our touring plans.

 

[monique5]

You can add dining up to 72hrs prior to trip. However, there are some exceptions. 1) the type of package you have. Some packages include dining, so you have to decide on dining package at that time. For instance, S/P/D includes dining. 2) most, if not all, specials have book by dates. So reservations & changes have to be made by the end date.

 

[Srbright]

You can add dining up to 72hrs prior to trip. However, there are some exceptions. 1) the type of package you have. Some packages include dining, so you have to decide on dining package at that time. For instance, S/P/D includes dining. 2) most, if not all, specials have book by dates. So reservations & changes have to be made by the end date.

I have to agree with Nala; we've went in September on FD for the past two years (fingers crossed to make this one the 3rd). Each time we were staying in the Value with the Free QSDP. The first one I upgraded two weeks before and the second one I upgraded 6 weeks before we left. Both time we went from a Value and QSDP to a Moderate with DDP. Not only did we change resort categories but both times we upgraded to the DxDDP when we changed.

Stacy

 

[monique5]

I have to agree with Nala; we've went in September on FD for the past two years (fingers crossed to make this one the 3rd). Each time we were staying in the Value with the Free QSDP. The first one I upgraded two weeks before and the second one I upgraded 6 weeks before we left. Both time we went from a Value and QSDP to a Moderate with DDP. Not only did we change resort categories but both times we upgraded to the DxDDP when we changed.

Stacy

That was my first statement, 72hrs. I agree. Just stating that there were exceptions....Pixie Dust. I've had that happen before. Also, used DDP for person not on our reservation. There are some CMs with experience & want your trip to be extra magical. Then there are CMs that follow the rules, you can't be upset with them for following the rules. Just be thankful for the extra pixie dust when it happens.

 

[chinarider]

so currently, I am booked with the spring promotion. It is valid thru March 31st. We're not going until May. So, if I decide to add the dining plan, I would have to do so before March 31st? I'm not changing my package, just adding to it? thanks

 

[Colleen27]

You can add dining up to 72hrs prior to trip. However, there are some exceptions. 1) the type of package you have. Some packages include dining, so you have to decide on dining package at that time. For instance, S/P/D includes dining. 2) most, if not all, specials have book by dates. So reservations & changes have to be made by the end date.

That has not generally been the case with Disney promos. As long as you book while the offer is active and the change you want to make doesn't take you out of the eligible dates you can usually make changes even after the promo has expired. I'm a habitual rearranger of trips, thanks to a lot of crazy scheduling stuff, and have never been told that I will lose my discount if I make a change after the promo I'm booked with has expired.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

so currently, I am booked with the spring promotion. It is valid thru March 31st. We're not going until May. So, if I decide to add the dining plan, I would have to do so before March 31st? I'm not changing my package, just adding to it? thanks

This is the same scenario we have, I was just planning on adding the dining plan a couple of weeks ahead of our trip. But now with this thread I'm worried we won't be allowed ....

 

[Rebekkap]

I recently (only a couple of weeks ago) called up and had the dining plan added to my reservation. They just said no problem, and gave me a new total figure (no charge to change, the new total was exactly what I was expecting). Had resort and tickets booked, no flights.